Renewables

[dubhsgeir]

I heard this week some talk about a proposed wind farm on seil is it rumour or is it true? gosh the nimby nation will be up in arms.

[Seventhseil]

Yes I think it is true heard about it at the pub.....42, 100m turbines then an Interconector cable to Stirling. Think it should be great my self.
What shall we do with the money we recieve from SSE?
Any suggestions?

[Pentlandpirate]

No way, it's got to be a wind up................I think your safe: there are far windier places than Seil.

[dubhsgeir]

I'm sure the person was serious he suggested that plans were in their early stages and would become public in the near future. If its true what an opportunity it would be for the community to become involved .

[dubhsgeir]

When you say safe, pent' what do you mean?

[Pentlandpirate]

Safe? One of the reasons Seil has it's own micro-climate is that it is relatively sheltered ( I know it can blow a storm) but for a decent wind farm you need consistent strong winds from one particular direction ideally funnelled towards the turbines. The geography around Seil is such that you could pick hundreds of far better locations, which don't necessarily need to be on the coast.

Anyhow they don't need any new form of power generation on Seil because this website generates considerable amounts of energy through wind, and it's not all down to me either.

[moonraker]

i think this is a magic idea. i am sure the farmers will sell off some land now the foot and mouth is back.. then we can get our mobile phone mast in about them.how about seil sound for a location the wind must funnel through there as it pushes the tide up to six knots

[Seil Blubber]

. . . wind must funnel through there as it pushes the tide up to six knots

You do realise you are speaking utter gibberish, don't you Moony?

Thought so!

[Seilant]

what an opportunity it would be for the community to become involved

How do you thing the community would become involved?

A lot of money for the landowner, a few half baked objections at a couple of public meetings, maybe a few temporary low grade construction jobs.

I have no aesthetic or NIMBY objections to windfarms, but I do not see how they actually INVOLVE the local community in any meaningful way.

- Seilant

[Eric the Viking]

Surely it would make better economic sense to harness the power of the 'alleged' six knot tide in Clachan Sound?

..........Or maybe a biothermal energy plant to provide heating for the old folks in the winter months.

This could be achieved in a cost effective manner by using a mobile heat exchanger to utilise all the hot air generated from the Nimbyhood watch meetings in Clachan which in turn could be pumped round the isle to those most in need?????????????????????

[Pentlandpirate]

Your water turbine is part built already........just fit a nice fat round turbine in the hole under the bridge, no planning permission required. Environmentally friendly in every way, protecting our heritage too..........just not too popular with the yachties and harbour seals

[Seventhseil]

I did'nt realise Seil had its own micro climate..... Windy most of the winter,generally from Westish. Perhaps PP should visit the west side of the island instead of eavesdropping in the TnT.

[NickB]

I tend to agree that there is no ideal site on Seil for a windfarm - Luing would be a better candidate.

While windpower is fashionable at the moment it is not reliable and it is questionable as to whether the energy produced ever equals the energy expended in turbine manufacture and installation of both turbines and new power lines. Micro windpower installations may be a more sensible option. (See HERE)

Tidal power however is reliable and endless - the tide runs strongly one way or the other in places like Cuan Sound for 22 hours out of 24, providing an endless source of energy. This sort of reliable power is much more suited to our grid-based electricity distribution system. Surely it is not beyond the wit of man (or Scottish engineering capabilities) to manufacture reliable turbines that can be anchored in places like this without visual impact or interference with navigation.

In addition to tidal stream generation, barrage schemes can make a massive contribution. The long-discussed Severn Barrage could provide over 8,000 Megawatts of power (that's over 12 nuclear power station's worth).

Why the UK government has failed to develop tidal power and is obsessed with windfarms is a bit of a mystery . . . perhaps the new Scottish government can take a lead here.

And while we are on environmental issues . . . I note that there has still been no reply to my post re. LESS . . . is this organisation now moribund or defunct?

NickB

[a nonny mouse]

Wasn't there a proposal for a wind farm on Luing some time ago?

What happened to that?

[rubberseal]

Yes, I don't know what's been decided for Luing, Nonny. Check out this pdf I found on the net:

http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file20424.pdf


I think that any harness of the energy at Cuan sound would have to be designed around shipping. This might make it impractical, I don't know.

[a nonny mouse]

Thanks for the link, I didn't understand much of it!

Is the turbine still there and operating?

[Eric the Viking]

What? Not even the part that says:

the project has succeeded in all its principal objectives. The new blade has to date performed well in aggressive wind conditions, measured loads are within design values, and energy output has been high. The overall operation of the wind turbine is serving as a positive demonstration of a modern, small-scale wind energy plant suitable for remote and rural applications.

[a nonny mouse]

That's the 'much' part I understood

[spiderman]

I totally agree with Nick B. General large-scale wind-power is a trendy Mickey Mouse concept, inefficient nonsense. Micro-wind power for individual homes/companies makes more sense. Even moreso, tidal power around here makes huge sense. Don't write off nuclear (not on Seil but at Hunterston) - I got bitten by a nuclear spider and so I know that it works great...

[dubhsgeir]

What ever you think about wind power we have to use every means of boosting the Scottish economy and help create real jobs. If we don't use and develop the technology in wind and especially tidal we will lose out to other countries who are actually investing real money in these ideas . The concept isn't mickey mouse we are.